BMW ICE cars to be sold alongside its upcoming new-gen EVs

BMW will retain its natively front and rear-wheel-drive platforms and all its powertrain options, alongside the Neue Klasse architecture-based pure-electric offerings.

BMW has confirmed that it will continue to offer its combustion-engined vehicles alongside its upcoming new-gen EVs.

BMW is set to unveil the all-electric 3 Series based on its Neue Klasse platform in 2025. Alongside it, BMW will continue to offer the combustion-engined and hybrid versions with the same design. The ICE & hybrid version though, will be based on an updated version of the current platform.

Bernd Korber, Product Boss at BMW, stated that the carmaker will retain its natively front and rear-wheel-drive platforms and all its powertrain options alongside the Neue Klasse architecture-based pure-electric offerings. According to BMW, this should help them be adaptable to the fluctuating global market conditions.

Korber stated, "What plays out at the moment is our own strategy. For us, it was always clear that development will be very volatile because it’s dependent on regulation and customer needs."

He further added, "For the foreseeable future, we’re into a technology-flexible approach, which is why we planned to build all drivetrains on one production line. If a market shifts in one direction, we don’t have to close a plant or reduce a shift. We just shift to another drivetrain."

Jochen Goller, Sales Head at BMW, added, "Two years ago, estimates on electric cars were too optimistic, and now they’re too pessimistic." He also mentioned, "I think with more models coming with a longer range and a shorter charging time, some of the purchase barriers will be removed."

Source: Autocar UK